Joint bar



Feb. 20, 1934. R FARlEs 1,948,102

JOINT BAR Filed Sept. 15, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l I I I F/ m J WITNESSES Z? Z6 INVENTQR: ji'oberil 'anes,

0,53 9. I V B 2 g 44/4712 7 I WTTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES JOINT BAR Robert Faries, St. Davids, Pa.

Application September 15, 1930 Serial No. 482,002

13 Claims. (Cl. 238243) My invention relates to joint bars, and more particularly to joint bars having deflected or offset portions designed to eliminate, or at least to minimize substantially, the undesirable effects of wear incident to long service. With joint bars which are perfectly straight and symmetrical throughout their length and which fit snugly within the fishing surfaces of the rails at all areas of the rail joint, it is found that the wear, caused by bending stresses in both vertical and horizontal planes, incident to the pounding action of heavy loads, and the resulting wave motion set up in the rails, is not uniformly distributed along the joint bar; but, on the contrary, the wear is considerably more pronounced at the central region adjacent to the rail ends and at the joint bar ends than at the intermediate regions. Accordingly, with a joint bar of this character the primary bearing areas at the center and ends of the bar will, in the course of time, become hollowed, and rounded humps will be formed in the intermediate regions. This condition of alternate depressions and raised portions not only destroys the efficiency of the joint, but it permits adjoining rails to rock within the rail joint, which in turn accelerates further wear. Furthermore, the condition cannot be remedied by tightening the nuts on the bolts to draw the joint bars up against the web of the rail.

The object of my invention is to provide a joint bar with head and foot portions deflected in a vertical and in a horizontal plane from the longitudinal axis of the bar and designed to counteract the above mentioned ill effects of vertical and horizontal bending forces, and to eliminate other disadvantages characteristic of straight joint bars. At the same time I preferably preserve the normal shape of the web portion of the bar so that the bolting surface upon which bolt heads and nuts bear is maintained in parallel relation with the web of the rail. The rail joint of my invention is also characterized by a gradual tapering of the offset portions of the joint bar from the points of wedging contact with the rail to the points of maximum clearance to more effectively diminish the wear upon contacting surfaces.

Other objects and advantages characterizing my invention will become apparent from the detailed description of several embodiments or forms which it may take, which follows hereinafter, having reference to the accompanying drawings.

Of the drawings:

Fig. I represents a side elevation of a rail joint embodying a joint bar of my. invention.

Fig. II represents a top plan view of the same with the head of the rail removed to illustrate more clearly the plan of the joint bar, the rail section being taken as indicated by the lines IIII of Figs. I and III.

Fig. III represents an end elevation of the joint bar of the above figures with the rail shown in section.

Fig. IV represents a plan view of a slightly modified form of joint bar, the rail section being taken as indicated by the lines IVIV of Fig. V.

Fig. V represents an end elevation of the joint bar of Fig. IV.

Fig. VI represents a plan view of another modifled form of joint bar, the rail section being taken as indicated by the lines VI--VI of Fig. VII.

Fig. VII represents an end elevation of the joint bar of Fig. VI. 4

Fig. VIII represents a plan view of still another modified form of joint bar, the rail section being taken as indicated by the lines VIII-VIII of Fig. IX; and,

Fig. IX represents an end elevation of the joint barof Fig. VIII.

With reference to the drawings, it will be noted that the joint bars 1, 2, 3 and 4, selected for illustration are all of the same general type as to cross-section. It is to be understood, however,

that the general form of joint bars to which my invention may be applied admits of a wide range of variation, for example, with respect to the shape of head and foot portions, the points at which contact is made with the rail, and the distance at which the web of the joint bar is spaced from the rail.

With particular reference to Figs. I, II and III, there is shown a rolled joint bar I having throughout its web portion 5 a number of holes 6 adapted to accommodate bolts for flexibly secur ing the bar and its mate (which is not shown, but which may be assumed to be of identical form) to the adjoining ends of rails '7. The verti cal surfaces 8 and 9 at the inner side, as well as the vertical surfaces 10 and 11 at the outer side of the bar I, are laterally offset, as shown in Fig. II, from their normal planes in regions 14 and 15 intermediate the center and ends of the bar. The lateral deflection of the bar at the intermediate regions 14 and 15 is preferably made gradual rather than abrupt the bar presenting an outwardly bowed shape at these intermediate regions with an appreciable clearance from the rail web 16 at the centers of these reof a fiat spring. At the central and end regions the bar 1 is undisturbed with respect to the 5 lateral relation of the head and foot portions 12 and 13 to its longitudinal axis. The web of the bar 1 is, throughout its length, undisturbed in a lateral plane and at all points equi-distant from the web 16 of the rail.

The bar 1 is also deflected in its vertical plane, the inclined upper surfaces 17 and 18 of the head 12 being flat at the central region forming a crown which on the inside is in intimate contactwith the rail head 24, and the surfaces 17 and 18 being from thence downwardly inclined in opposite directions with a gradual slope through= out the intermediate regions 14 and 15. At their ends the upper surfaces 17 and 18 are again flat and in planes below that of the central region. The lower face 19 and the portions of the bar at the regions where the head and foot portions join the web run parallel in a vertical plane with the alternate inclined and fiat areas of the up= per surfaces 17 and 18. Accordingly, the bot tom face 19 is raised somewhat at its center and is in intimate contact with the bottom flange 241 of the rail at its extremities, whereas the upper surfaces 17 and 18 are in intimate contact with the rail head 24 at the center and are somewhat depressed at their ends. The result of both the vertical and horizontal offsets is that a central crown is formed intimately engaging the rail heads at the rail ends, and a foot portion is provided intimatelyengaging the rail flanges at the bar ends but not elsewhere.

The lateral deformation of the head and foot portions serves to counteract the effect of bending of the bars in a horizontal plane in which the greatest wear occurs at the ends and in the center of the bar. By freeing the bar from pressure contact at the intermediate regions 14 and 15 and providing alternate regions of intimate pressure contact at the center and ends compensation is made for the effect of horizontal bending of the rails at the joints, and the rate at which the bar will wear is diminished, for as long as the bar is periodically tightened there is no opportunity for play between bar and rails at the joints.

The vertical deformation at the head and foot portions serves to truss the rails at the joint, thus counteracting the effect of vertical bending and eliminating the ill effects which occur when a "low joint is formed. The web portion of the bar being undisturbed throughout its length, an even surface for bolt heads and nuts, running parallel with the rails, is had throughout its length.

In Figs. IV and V a somewhat modified form of bar is shown. Bar 2 is of the same general characteristics as to form of its head and foot portions 26 and 27 as bar 1. In a horizontal plane, however, the bar is less gradually offset laterally with more pronounced apexes at the center as indicated at 21 and at the endsas indicated at 22, the intermediate regions 23 being parallel with the rail. The web portion 25 is undisturbed throughout its length and substantially the same effect is produced as regards counteracting horizontal bending forces as in the case of bar 1. Y

In Figs. VI and VII another modification in the form of the joint bar is shown. Bar 3 is likewise generally similar as to the form of its head and footportions 28 and 29 to bar 1. As

mosaics shown in Fig. VI, however, the bar is offset laterally in a somewhat different manner. At the central region 30, the inner and outer surfaces parallel the rail web 16. From thence the inner surfaces are deflected laterally throughout regions 31. From thence these surfaces again parallel the rail web 16 throughout regions 32. From thence these surfaces are deflected toward the rail at regions 33. At the ends 34 the rail is again 'parallelled. Here again the web portion 35 is undisturbed throughout its length, and substantially the same effect is produced as regards counteracting horizontal bending forces as in the case of bar 1.

In Figs. VIII and IX a fourth form of joint bar embodying some of the features of my invention is shown. Bar 4 is of uniform crosssection throughout, and not only are its head and foot portions 36 and 37 laterally offset, but

the web 38 is also deflected in a corresponding manner. At the central region 39, the entire bar is deflected outward in opposite directions to form a more pronounced apex. At the intermediate regions 40, the bar parallels the rail web 16, and at the endsel the bar is deflected inward toward the rail. e

In all of the above described forms of bars, the ill effects of horizontal bending forces at the rail joints, which normally shorten the life and destroy the effectiveness of plain symmetrical joint bars, are eliminated or substantially minimized, and, though some of the bars'have more pronounced lateral offsets than others, they are all characterized by gradually tapered surfaces affording bowed regions rather than abrupt changes from one plane to another so. that there are no sharp edges contacting with the fishing surfaces of the rail in a manner such as to cause abrasion.

As before stated the ordinary straight symmetrical joint bar having a uniform cross section from end to end becomes worn in spots. When wear occurs in this type of bar, it cannot be com-.-

occurs, there being no obstruction against such movement. The pressure of the nuts at the outwardly bowed regions will naturally tend to spring the bars into more intimate engagement with the rail ends to compensate automatically for wear.

Furthermore, the clearance provided at the foot portion beneath the center of the joint bar and at the head portion above the ends of the joint bar relieves strains incident to wave motion in the rails which normally tend to split the ends of the rails by forcing the head of. the rail upward and at the same time forcing the base of the rail downward.

With the ordinarystraight symmetrical joint bars it is a matter of common knowledge that the bending stresses are far more pronounced at the center of a rail joint than elsewhere. If these stresses are graphically plotted with. ordinates representing the stress at each point of the bar and abscissa: representing different With.

bars of this invention formed in the manner described it is otherwise, for the provision of laterally offset regions combined with vertically offset regions serves to relieve, as before premised, the concentration of bending stresses at the center of a rail joint and to more uniformly distribute the stresses throughout the length of the joint.

While I have illustrated several embodiments of my invention and described the essential features which distinguish it from older forms. of joint bars, it will be apparent that changes may be made, other than those herein suggested, without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the annexed claims, and that some features of the invention may be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features.

'Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A rail joint bar having portions of the length of the inner and outer surfaces of the head and foot laterally deflected from the normal longitudinal axis of the bar, and having portions of the length of the upper and lower surfaces of the head and foot vertically deflected from said axis of the bar, and having a continuous flat bolting surface at its web portion.

2. A rail joint bar having portions of the length of the inner and outer surfaces of the head and foot laterally deflected from the normal longitudinal axis of the bar to provide intimate contact with the rail at the center and end regions of the bar and relief from contact at intermediate regions, and having portions of the length of the upper and lower surfaces of the head and foot vertically deflected to provide a central crown in intimate contact with the rail heads and end portions in intimate contact with the rail flanges.

3. A rail joint bar having portions of the length of the inner and outer surfaces of the head and foot laterally deflected from the normal longitudinal axis of the bar to provide intimate contact with the rail at the center and end regions of the bar and relief from contact at intermediate regions, and having portions of the length of the upper and lower surfaces of the head and foot vertically deflected to provide a central crown in intimate contact with the rail heads and end portions in intimate contact with the rail flanges, said bar having a continuous flat bolting surface at its web portion.

4. A rail joint bar having head and foot portions in alignment and parallel with the rails in a horizontal plane at the center and ends of the bar and having laterally oifset portions clearing the rails at intermediate regions, said intermediate portions of the head and foot being gradually bowed outwardly to a maximum clearance from the rails at the centers of said intermediate portions, said bar having a web consisting of a plate bounded by continuous parallel plane faces.

5. A rail joint bar having head and foot portions in alignment and parallel with the rail in a horizontal plane at the center and ends of the bar and laterally offset to clear the rails at intermediate regions, and having its head and foot portions vertically deflected to provide a central crown in intimate contact with the rail heads at the center of the bar and gradually sloping surfaces on opposite sides thereof with the ends of the bar in intimate contact with the rail fla lges.

A rail joint bar having head and foot pertions in alignment and parallel with the rails in a horizontal plane at the center and ends of the bar and having laterally oifset portions clearing the rails at intermediate regions, and having its head and foot portions vertically deflected to provide a central crown in intimate contact with the rail head at the center of the bar and gradually sloping surfaces on opposite sides thereof with the ends of the bar in intimate contact with the rail flanges, said bar having a continuous flat bolting surface at its web portion.

7. A rail joint bar having head and foot portions thereof laterally deflected from the longitudinal axis of the bar to provide concaved regions on the inner vertical surfaces between the center and ends of the bar, and said head and foot being vertically deflected to provide a central raised crown and depressed end regions.

8. A rail joint bar comprising a head, web and foot, the head and foot having portions of their length laterally deflected from the vertical axial plane at the bar to afford rail adjoining surfaces at some regions more distant from said plane than at other regions, and the web consisting of an undeflected plate bounded by planes each of 0 which is at all points equi-distant from said plane of the bar.

9. A rail joint bar comprising a head, web and foot, the head and foot being of uniform section and having portions of their length laterally de- 5 of the rails.

11. In a rail joint, a joint bar having a head, web and foot, the head and foot being of uniform cross-section and having portions of their length laterally deflected from the vertical axial plane of the rails to afford rail adjoining surfaces at some regions more distant from said plane of the rails than at other regions, and the web consisting of a plate with inner and outer faces, each face constituting a continuous plane surface parallel to said plane of the rails.

12. A rail joint bar laterally deflected to provide pressure contact at the rail ends and at the joint bar ends, with intermediate regions free from such pressure contact; and vertically deflected to provide a central crown in pressure contact with therail heads and to provide a bowed foot portion in pressure contact at its ends with the rail flanges and free from such contact at its center.

13. A rail joint bar laterally deflected to provide pressure contact at the rail ends and at thejoint bar ends, with intermediate regions free from such pressure contact; and vertically deflected to provide a central crown in pressure contact with the rail heads and to provide a bowed foot portion in pressure contact at its ends with the rail flanges and free from such contact at its center; said lateral and vertical deflections being formed with a gradual inclination of the rail adjoining surfaces from the normal longitudinal axis of the bar.

ROBERT FARIES'.

a continuous plane surface-parallel to said plane 

